Having read most of the comments from readers, there is a good balance between those that support absolute freedom of speech (holocaust included), and those that feel that Islam deserves special treatment. I would support a compromise. If anybody feels they have the right to insult, demean, or offend, they should also be supportive of anybody taking it upon themselves to break a law by responding as they see fit, and being willing to be punished for it. I am sure the firebomber would be proud to take responsibility, and to accept the punishment the French state metes out to arsonists. The analogy I would offer is that if you insult my family, I would happily beat the living daylights out of you, and then turn myself in to the police. You get what you want, and I get what I want. Everybody is happy!

Um, bit of a difference there. I say a few words, which are nothing more than wind, and in response, you beat me to a bloody pulp. And you think that's proportionate?!?! Why stop there? You could beat me to a pulp, burn me, hang, draw and quarter me, then run me over in your car 20 times. Seriously, your argument is ridiculous.

Is it weak God and prophet Muslims are worshiping that they feel the need to protect them against mere mortals who make fun of them? Can't God and/or Mohammad punish the real mortals should they wish to? When Muslims chant "Allahuakbar" (God is great), are they chanting a wish?

On the other topic, France should also ban ninja-like dress-up to be fair to the Muslims. This would help reduce people's fear, of sabre not only of human bomb.

For next edition, I notice put pressure on the human right tone, the Palestine, and me, Liu BoXiao who now have happy, cheerful, joyful, clapping to the world that I have come to understand the real China.

Liu BoXiao,The Economist requires comments to be written in English ;do read the comments policy again if you are unfamiliar with it.Could you then, please translate what you have written into English ? Thank-you.

If there is a kind of freedom which is established on the basis of your opponents' lives, well, your initial motivation is wrong. On the premise of ensuring your freedom, you have no right to deprive other people's, Let alone their lives. I only know little about the relationship between Islam and Muslim. I reckon the reason why some people use the extreme way to fight for their freedom is taht the goverment do not give them chances to espress their thoughts. People in the bottom have no way to make their voice heard. So maybe it is time for the goverment to think about their policies and provide a more reasonable set of policies to protect its people's freedom rights.

I have to agree though that Freedom of expression cannot be selective. if somebody wants to deny the Holocaust, let him, for it would only reveal that he is an idiot, just as the rest of the French Muslims who are protesting this carricature.

There are thousands of mosques in France. The fact that permission to build one particular mosque in one particular town was denied should not be taken out of context. By the way there are zero, yes zero, christian churches in Saudi Arabia. And christian churches in many other muslim countries are often targets of attack. I hope you find that despicable too.

Sir I find your writing very biased.
You say that holocaust denial is not permitted in France but free speech is a right, doing so in the same article, you compare the two items.
Holocaust , unfortunately is a reality and nobody denies Muhamad has existed nor Jesus, nor Moses.
We just claim the possibility to make fun.
We still have the right to laugh in France and Islam is not going to deprieve us from this right.

I support freedom of speech like most other Westerners, but it doesn't mean that a publication can go around insulting other people for no reason. Why did the editors of this magazine have to print these cartoons? Why did they have to poke a stick in the eye of an entire religion? I hope that the people who attacked their buildings are prosecuted, but the this publication must realise that there must be retribution for spitting in the face of others.